Passionate and compelling troubadour

By Sophie BestApril 8 2002

Steve EarlePrince of Wales Bandroom,
St Kilda, April 4

There was an almost tangible hunger for song in the air. Steve Earle's decision to perform solo was welcomed by fans who appreciate the gruffly individualistic, American singer-sngwriter for his heartland balladry as much as for his roots-rock swagger.

Warner's heartland is a gritty, inner suburbia that could be anywhere, especially now that he divides his time between Melbourne and New York City. But there is something distinctly Melbourne about his slice-of-life songs, and they went down well.

The heartland of Rogers is less easily defined, although it feels like home to his fans. Rogers' songbook is characterised by gorgeous melody and simple words, which cut through to the beautiful or the sad truth of the matter. He exuded his scruffy charisma but also a shaky vulnerability, which made sense when he confided his anxiety about a seriously ill family member, which gave his performance a bittersweet quality.");document.write("

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Earle came out to warm applause and settled in quickly to his accustomed role as storyteller, troubadour and hard-bitten, wise guy. With his distinctive, gravelly vocals, proficient guitar picking and harmonica playing, he had all that was needed to capture the crowd. Of course, Earle's songs are what make him such a compelling solo performer. He opened with an old favourite, Eric von Schmidt's folksy blues y, Let Me Follow You Downen went into a satisfying set that included material from his two most recent studio albums, Transcendental Blues and The Mountain - the latter selections working well as bare-boned, country-rock songs, stripped of their bluegrass trappings.

The crowd clearly went right back with Earle to his younger, hell-raising days, however, and it was his older songs - particularly those from his superb "comeback" albums from the 1990s, I Feel Alright and El Corazon - that drew the most appreciative response.

Fans sang along to numbers such as South Nashville Blues, More Than I Can Do and Someday, his anthemic tale of small-town alienation from his debut, Guitar Town.

Earle's familiar theme of being an outsider, an outlaw damned to wander the wastelands of urban America, was given voice in Hometown Blues, Taneytown and Devil's Right Hand. There were also tender love songs such as Goodbye and Valentine's Day. However, it was his eloquent protest against the death penalty, Billy Austin, that provided the high point of Earle's performance. With its devastating lyrics, this is a song of great humanity, a song that could bring about change and compassion within people's hearts and minds. And that, in the end, is the measure of a true heartland songwriter and a deeply passionate, committed and still-vital performer.